Drain cleaner

ABSTRACT

A vertical shaft is manipulated through a drain trap cover so as to lower a cleaning member into the drain trap and dislodge clogging substances therein. The vertical shaft is provided with a spring which urges it out of the drain trap when the cleaning member is not in use.

United States Patent 11 1 1111 3,783,457 Tornabene Jan. 8, 1974 [54] DRAIN CLEANER 1,098,128 5/1914 Schlacht 15/104115 1,495,303 5/1924 Heidelberg 15/1043 R X [76] Inventorswam" Tomabene, 90th 1,559,900 11/1925 McCarthy 15/104.16 x 5% Howard Beach, 3,644,943 2/1972 Leonardo et a]. 4 255 [22] Filed: June 20, 1972 Primary Examiner-Henry K. Arts PP N03 264,557 Attorney-Charles Marks 52 us. 01. 4/255, 138/89 ABSTRACT [51] Int. Cl E03d 11/00 A vertical shaft is manipulated through a drain trap [58] Field of Search 4/255, 256, 257; cover so as to lower a cleaning member into the drain 138/89, 90, 92, 94, 95; 15/104.16, 104.3 R trap and dislodge clogging substances therein. The vertical shaft is provided with a spring which urges it [56] References Cited out of the drain trap when the cleaning member is not UNITED STATES PATENTS in 283,205 8/1883 Clark 4/255 5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 1 DRAIN CLEANER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to means for cleaning drain traps and the like.

2. Description of the Prior Art Heretofore, a variety of cleaning devices have been employed to remove grease, dirt, debris and other substances which accumulate in drain traps such as are commonly encountered in the cellars of residences and other buildings, such cleaning being necessary. to prevent or remedy clogging of the drains within the drain traps. The conventional cleaning devices used for this purpose are oftenmakeshift, hard to manipulate and may become entangled with the substances sought to be removed, thereby rendering it difficult to withdraw such devices from the drain traps involved. In addition, in conventional drain trap cleaning procedures, it is usually necessary to remove the drain trap cover before commencing to clean the drain trap, thereby exposing the surrounding area to the substances removed from the drain traps.

The present invention solves these problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In the present invention, a vertically adjustable shaft equipped with radially extending cleaning means is accommodated within an aperture provided in a drain trap cover removably mounted above a drain trap. The shaft is depressible into the drain trap so as to bring the radially extending means into contact with clogging substances therein and subject them to rotary as well as vertical movement of said radially extending cleaning means the said movements being accomplished by suitable manipulation of the shaft. The shaft is also spring-biased so that when released, it will be urged upwardly, thereby bringing the radially extending cleaning means into a suitable socket provided in the base of the drain trap cover. The drain trap cover is threaded so as to be removable and capable of being accommodated in operable position above other portions of the drain trap requiring cleaning or may be left in position so as to function as a closure member, as desired.

Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide an easily operated means for cleaning, dislodging or removing grease, debris, dirt and other clogging substances from drain traps.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described which exposes said substances to vertical and rotary movement whereby they may be cleaned, dislodged or removed from drain traps in which they have accumulated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the said character which may be manually operated and which has cleaning means that are automatically retractable when not in use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a fixed support for the foregoing cleaning means during the operation thereof and which also provides a convenient storage area for said cleaning means when it is not in operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a drain trap cover which need not be removed from the drain trap in order to begin cleaning thereof.

Yet a further object of the invention is to provide a removable drain trap cover which may be substituted in place of conventional drain trap covers after whichthe above mentioned cleaning, dislodging and removal operations may be carried out.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following discussion when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the drawing: FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing one embodiment of the invention; I

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary elevational view of the do sure member and shaft in retracted position;

FIG. 3 is a view taken about the line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a pair of drains within a drain trap, one of which said drains is located below the said embodiment of the invention.

Throughout the several views, similar numerals are employed to refer to similar parts of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The present invention is employed in conjunction with a conventional drain trap. As shown in FIG. 1 of the drawing, said conventional drain trap is generally designated by the numeral 10 and is formed in the usual manner in concrete below a cellar or basement floor 12 or the like, the said conventional drain trap 10 including a conventional drain 17 provided at the bottom of the trap 10. The floor 12 also accommodates a plate 9 having a.socket 13 which, in turn, is threadedly engaged with a closure member, generally designated by the numeral 14 and comprising a tapered disc 15 threadedly engaged with the socket 13, a boss 16 formed integrally with the disc 15 and a vertical aperture 18, which extends axially of the disc 15. The vertical aperture 18 extends from the surface 19 of the boss 16 to a cavity 20 formed at the bottom of the disc 15, said cavity having an upper surface 21 and vertical side wall 22.

The vertical aperture 18 accommodates a vertical shaft 23 provided with a horizontal handle 24 at the upper portion of the vertical shaft 23. A coiled compression spring 25 is disposed around the vertical shaft 23 and is seated between the surface 19 of the boss 16 and a collar or washer 26 suitably affixed, as by welding, for example, to the vertical shaft 23.

A cleaning member generally designated by the numeral 28, depends from the lower end of the vertical shaft 23, said cleaning member 28 including a plurality of radially extending elements 29, as may be seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. Said vertical shaft 23 is also provided with a threaded portion 27 engaged with a nut 30 abutting against the cleaning member 28 and .urging it against a shoulder 31 formed on the vertical shaft 23, thereby affixing the cleaning member 28 to the shaft 23.

In operation,.the tapered disc 14 is engaged with the socket 13, following which the handle 24 is depressed, thereby disposing the cleaning member 28 against the bias of the compression spring 25 and into the drain trap 10 where said cleaning member 28 may be rotated by means of the handle 24 so as to dislodge any accumulated debris 37 or other foreign substance therein which is then removable by flushing it through the drain 17 in the conventional manner. After dislodging the said debris 37 as aforesaid, the handle 24 may be released, whereupon the compression spring will urge the vertical shaft 23 upwardly so as to bring the cleaning member 28 into the cavit 20, the retracted position thus accomplished being depicted in FIG. 2. Thus, the cleaning member 28 does not obstruct the drain trap when the cleaning member 28 is not in use.

It'will be observed that the internal diameter of the aperture 18 is substantially larger than the diameter of the vertical shaft 23 so as to permit a spaced interval therebetween and a coresponding amount of play between the shaft 23 and the aperture 18. Thus, the shaft 23 may be correspondingly inclined during the foregoing cleaning operation, if desired, thereby affording a greater degree of access to the various portions of the drain trap 10.

Although FIG. 1 depicts the above described form of the invention in operative assembly with a drain trap 10 having one drain 17, it is to be understood that said form of the invention may be used to advantage with drain traps having a multiplicity of drains. Thus, as shown in FIG. 4 where a drain trap 39 having two parallel drains 40, 50 is depicted, the said form of the invention may be employed as a drain trap cover until it is required for use as aforesaid, with respect to drain 40. The adjacent drain 50 may be covered in the conventional manner by a drain trap cover 51 which may be removed when desired and replaced by the said form of the invention for operative use in conjunction with drain 50.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated and described hereinabove has been selected for the purpose of clearly setting forth the principles involved. It will be apparent, however, that the present invention is susceptible to being modified in respect to details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts which may be resorted to without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. In combination with a drain trap in a floor and having at least one drain:

a. a plate supported by the floor;

b. a socket provided within the plate;

0. a closure member removably engaged with the socket;

d. an axial aperture formed in said closure member;

e. a vertical shaft disposed within said axial aperture;

f. a collar affixed to the upper portion of said vertical shaft;

g. spring means seated between said closure member and said collar;

h. radially extending means affixed to the bottom of said vertical shaft;

i. said vertical shaft being depressible to lower said radially extending means into the drain trap and drain and being rotatable therein, whereby clogging substances in said drain trap and drain may be dislodged.

2. In a device according to claim 1, the said closure member including:

a. a disc threadedly engaged with the socket;

b. a boss formed on the upper portion of the disc;

c. a cavity formed in the lower portion of the disc;

(I. said axial aperture extending through said boss and into said cavity;

e. said axial aperture including a spaced region between the surface thereof and said vertical shaft;

f. said cavity accommodating said radially extending means when said vertical shaft is urged by said spring means to a raised position.

3. In a device according to claim 1, said radially extending means including a plurality of radially extending elements.

4. In a device according to claim 1, said vertical shaft being provided with a horizontal handle formed integrally with said vertical shaft.

5. In a device according to claim 1, said spring means including a coiled compression spring accommodated annularly of said vertical shaft. 

1. In combination with a drain trap in a floor and having at least one drain: a. a plate supported by the floor; b. a socket provided within the plate; c. a closure member removably engaged with the socket; d. an axial aperture formed in said closure member; e. a vertical shaft disposed within said axial aperture; f. a collar affixed to the upper portion of said vertical shaft; g. spring means seated between said closure member and said collar; h. radially extending means affixed to the bottom of said vertical shaft; i. said vertical shaft being depressible to lower said radially extending means into the drain trap and drain and being rotatable therein, whereby clogging substances in said drain trap and drain may be dislodged.
 2. In a device according to claim 1, the said closure member including: a. a disc threadedly engaged with the socket; b. a boss formed on the upper portion of the disc; c. a cavity formed in the lower portion of the disc; d. said axial aperture extending through said boss and into said cavity; e. said axial aperture including a spaced region between the surface thereof and said vertical shaft; f. said cavity accommodating said radially extending means when said vertical shaft is urged by said spring means to a raised position.
 3. In a device according to claim 1, said radially extending means including a plurality of radially extending elements.
 4. In a device according to claim 1, said vertical shaft being provided with a horizontal handle formed integrally with said vertical shaft.
 5. In a device according to claim 1, said spring means including a coiled compression spring accommodated annularly of said vertical shaft. 